Cat Got Your Tongue
by keihra93
Summary: A young mage and the Inquisitor find themselves together once again. They once had been friends, even fell in love, but not everything goes according to plan. Now that they are reunited, they have many trials and obstacles to face- from finding a way to seal the Breach to rekindling a lost friendship and love. Some mature content will be present later on.
1. Chapter 1

**_11 years ago..._**

_"Emma, will you marry me?"_

_"No, marry me!"_

_"Don't listen to them, they're just a bunch of sad sacks of shit. You should marry me, instead."_

Emma Laurel Wells, nearing her sixteenth year, was the beauty of her village. Every man wanted her, every woman hated her. And it wasn't her fault. She was just born that way- a petite girl with an hourglass figure, raven black hair that faded a bit into gray tips and icy teal eyes.

Her older brother, James, on the other hand? He was quiet and reserved, did his best to mind his own business, and tried to keep his sister safe and under control. Which was no easy task.

Every since she had hit puberty, Emma had been the talk of the village. James tried everything to protect her from leering eyes, but as she grew older and understand what the attention meant for her, it was like she didn't even care anymore.

Then, one day just before her sixteenth birthday, she had decided enough was enough and made an announcement.

_"I will marry the man who can successfully remove the key from around my cat's neck. No harm must come to her in any way, shape or form. He who succeeds will win my hand in marriage."_

The men scrambled off, colliding with each other as they sought out the cat that Emma spoke of: a beautiful, long haired cat with black and gray fur and the same colored eyes as hers.

This went on for a couple of weeks. Dozens of men tried to capture the cat, trap her, trick her, snatch her up by the scruff of her neck, pin her down with a snare loop and pull the snare too tightly. And all the while, Emma stayed out of sight as she waited for the victor. But what surprised her most was actually Leon Ellis.

Leon Ellis was a young man, a year or two older than her. He was a respectable person, worked hard every day, was dependable almost to a fault, and he was handsome to boot. He had never really chased after Emma like the other men did, but he did greet her and bring her small gifts of flowers or sweets and the like from his family's shop. Emma had always just assumed that he was being nice and had no interest in her. Which surprised her, but was refreshing at the same time and she felt like she could truly be herself around him. She herself had even started to develop feelings for him. And when the "quest" for the key began, Leon was the only person who tried to befriend the cat and earn her trust.

One day after the "quest" had begun, Leon was lounging beneath the swaying branches of the willow tree that sat atop the hill overlooking the village. A ruckus echoed through town and he knew that the other men were chasing after Emma's cat again. He sat reading as the breeze billowed through the leaves, only looking up when he spotted a black blur zip passed him and up into the tree. He looked up, spotting Emma's cat hiding amongst the branches as she tried to conceal herself.

_"Poor girl, those mean men scare you off again?"_

_The cat looked down at him, mewling quietly. Then as her stomach growled, __Leon smiled, reaching into his pack and pulling out a bit of smoked fish. He stood and placed it on a branch near where she was hiding, then sat down and leaned back against the tree. _

_"Try it, my father just finished the latest batch." Leon said, biting into a piece himself. He watched the cat for a moment, seeing her uncertainty. Chuckling, he went back to his book. "Take your time, little one."_

_The cat stared between him and the smoked fish for a good long while, then finally hunger got the best of her and she crept forward. Below, Leon heard her shuffle along the branch and looked up as she took the fish and scarfed it down. Smiling, he asked if it was good and the cat meowed her approval._

_Someone called in the distance, making the cat shy away. Leon stood, grabbing his things as he looked at the cat. "I have to go, little one, but I'll be back tomorrow. I'll even bring you more of that smoked fish." He gave a small wave as he turned and headed back into the village, leaving the little feline watching him curiously. __And as promised, the next day Leon had returned to the willow with book and smoked fish in hand. He had hoped Emma's cat would return and when he saw her peering at him through the higher branches, he smiled. He set out some fish for her and proceeded to read as he lounged against the tree. _

This continued for about a week before Leon noticed that the cat was becoming more comfortable around him. He would talk to her, even read aloud to her, noticing that each day she crept a little bit closer until one day she climbed onto his shoulders and curled up around his neck- watching the pages of the book intently as he read to her. By the end of the chapter, Emma's cat was purring and rubbing against Leon's cheek. When he reached up to let her sniff his hand, she leaned into it as if to ask for pets. Surprised, Leon was more than happy to scratch her ears and smooth back the fur on her head. And when he saw the glint of the key around her neck, he asked if he could take it from her neck. Emma's cat pulled her head free from the string that acted as her collar and sat in his lap, looking at him.

_"Will you let me carry you back?" Leon asked._

_Emma's cat mewed and let Leon scoop her up into his arms, hiding in his coat as he made his way back to the village so that the other men wouldn't see her._

_Leon took the back streets through town to Emma and James' home, ducking out of sight any time one of the men of the village passed by them. Luckily, they avoided them safely and when they reached their destination, Leon knocked on the door._

_James opened the door and looked at Leon in surprise, then saw his sister's cat poke her head out from beneath his coat. "You're here for Emma?"_

_Leon nodded. "May I speak with her?"_

_James nodded, ushering him inside. He locked the door, drew closed the window drapes, then turned to Leon and looked at the cat. "Are you going to stay like that forever?"_

_"Is... everything alright, Jim?"_

_James sighed. "That depends." He looked from the cat to Leon. "There's something you need to know about Emma."_

_Leon looked at him confused, then down at the cat as she wriggled her way out of his coat and down onto the floor. His eyes widened when the cat began to glow and its form shifted to that of a young woman. "Emma..?"_

_The cat had been Emma the whole time._

_Emma offered him a sheepish smile, something she rarely did. "Hi."_

_Leon looked her up and down. "Hi."_

_"So, I'm a mage... an apostate, really..." Emma started. "I'm skilled in healing magik and I can shapeshift, as you've seen."_

_"Wow." Leon glanced at James, seeing the worry in his eyes. "How long?"_

_"Since she was about 4." James said._

_"Leon?"_

_Leon met Emma's gaze._

_She wrung her hands nervously. "Out of every man in our village, you were the only one who took the time to earn my trust. You gave me snacks, talked to me, read to me. You were patient and let me come to you. You put in the effort that no one else has." She looked at him nervously. "But, I understand if you don't want to be around me. All I ask is that you don't tell anyone, OK? I don't want Jimmy getting in trouble for protecting me."_

_Leon sighed with a smile, stepping forward and taking her hands in his. "Emma, I don't care if you're a mage. You're a good person and that's what matters. It's part of why I started falling for you." He took the key and placed it into her hands. "Emma Wells, I want to stand by your side and help protect you. Will you do me that great honor?"_

_Emma's eyes teared up a bit and smiling, she nodded- hugging the one person outside of her family that accepted her for who she was and not just because she was another pretty face._

Emma and Leon were set to get married the summer of her eighteenth birthday, but everything changed in 9:30 when the Blight ravaged the lands once more and Leon was conscripted into the royal army. James and Emma had to flee their home village, seeking asylum wherever they could, hoping to stay alive and ahead of the darkspawn horde. And with the tensions rising between the mages and Templars, it was getting even more dangerous for Emma and she had no idea if she would ever see Leon again or if he was even alive anymore.

* * *

_**Present day...**_

Emma stood overlooking the village of Haven. James had joined the Inquisition fairly early on before it could even be considered a real Inquisition and with tensions sharp as a blade between mages and Templars, he felt it would be the safest place for her. Emma didn't mind, either; James had been looking after her for as long as she could remember. She felt safe with him and with the members of the Inquisition. And at this point, everyone knew she was a mage so she no longer had to hide it. She still preferred her cat form than her human form, though. It just made it easier to hide away from the conflict, especially after the Conclave had failed.

It was now a few days after the Conclave was destroyed by some unknown force, killing thousands. Only one person had survived the explosion itself. And that one person was someone that Emma never thought she'd ever see again- Leon Ellis.

One afternoon, Emma sat atop her usual perch near the apothecary's hut and thought back on that day. It had been nothing but chaos when the Temple of Sacred Ashes was obliterated by a powerful magik unknown to everyone, even the elf mage Solas- who knew more than anyone about the Fade. Emma had been helping with the healing as much as she could, but when a familiar scent caught her nose she immediately ran towards it. When she reached the hut, she could see the source being placed on the bed within.

_"Leon..?" Emma wondered aloud. She caught his scent again and knew this time for sure that it was him. "Leon!" She tried to run to his side, but some of the Templars stopped her._

_"You cannot enter."_

_"Let me through!" Emma tried to fight against the Templars, but they were so much stronger than her._

_"Let her pass."_

_Emma looked up when the Commander of the Inquisition's forces, Cullen Rutherford, gave the order. "Thank you, Commander." She pushed passed the Templars and ran to Leon's side. "Leon, can you hear me?"_

_Leon didn't respond, but when she checked his pulse, she was relieved that it was much stronger than she thought it'd be given his condition. She looked down at his hand, seeing the glowing green mark now scarring his palm._

_"Leon..."_

_"Emma?"_

_Emma looked up to see her brother joining her. "Jimmy, what happened to him?"_

_James shrugged. "We don't know, but he was the only survivor."_

_"Why is he in chains?"_

_"We don't know what happened, or who is responsible. We're just taking every precaution."_

_Emma looked back at Leon as the elf mage, Solas, quickly came into the hut. "Leon..."_

_"Serah Wells, a word?"_

_Emma looked back, seeing Seeker Cassandra Pentaghast- and one of the Hands of the Divine- standing in the doorway. "I..." She glanced down at Leon, but sighed when Solas assured her that he'd do his best to heal him. "Alright..."_

_James walked with his sister as they left the hut, the door closing behind them. He looked down at his sister, seeing that she was just as worried as he was for their old friend. But he couldn't stay to comfort her as he was called away for duty. He gave her hand a squeeze and hurried off, hoping that she'd be alright._

_"What is the nature of your relationship with that man?" Cassandra asked, looking sternly at the mage._

_Emma looked back at the hut, her heart racing. "We're from the same village. We grew up together as kids. We were even going to marry once I had turned eighteen, but then..."_

_"Then?"_

_Emma sighed. "When the Blight came and the king had died, Loghain began recruiting and Leon was conscripted into the royal army. We never heard from him again after that, so we had no idea if he was even alive anymore or not."_

_"I take it then you do not know why he would have been present at the Conclave?"_

_Emma shook her head and met the Seeker's gaze. "No, but I can tell you this: Leon Ellis is a good man, trustworthy and kind. He always has been. And he is no mage, so there is no possible way that he could have even been responsible for what's happened."_

_"I see." Cassandra sighed, her demeanor softening just ever so slightly. "Well, then we are still nowhere near finding out the truth of what transpired."_

_"Talk to Leon when he wakes, he can tell you more."_

_"That is our goal. Should he survive whatever that thing is on his hand."_

Emma sighed as she looked at the Breach, the eerie glowing gash in the sky that flashed green like the mark on Leon's hand. 'Maker, please bring him back to us. We need answers.'


	2. Chapter 2

_**A week later...**_

Leon stood, looking out over Haven as things continued to bustle. It had been a long week, but things were finally starting to come together bit by bit. As he stood there, watching scouts making their reports or Quartermaster Threnn filling orders, he thought back on everything that had happened in the last week.

He had finally woken from his coma and was immediately questioned about his involvement with the Conclave. Unfortunately, he did not remember anything.

When he was released from his chains and the situation explained to him, he agreed to help however he could and quickly learned that the mark on his hand was somehow key to closing the rifts and maybe even the Breach.

He had gone with the Seeker to find the others as they made their way up to the ruins of the Temple of Sacred Ashes and together they made quick work of the demons that stumbled from rifts and onto their path. It did not take them long to reach their comrades and press onward to the forward camp, where they met with Sister Leliana and Chancellor Roderick. Disregarding his blithering about how Leon should still be in chains and transported to Val Royeaux to await trial for his "crimes", Cassandra took Leon and the others up the rest of the way to retrieve the scouts that had been cut off from everyone else- a tough decision as it meant sacrificing people either way.

Once they had rescued the scouts and sent them back through the cleared path, Leon and the others pressed forward to the Breach itself. Leliana and her men were waiting and provided backup as they lined up along the broken walls of the temple, bows at the ready while Leon and the others made their way down to the first rift. When they reached the rift, however, it was closed and echoes of the events that had happened just moments before the explosion flashed through the rubble. After a brief exchange of words, Leon reopened the rift and a pride demon stepped through. Between Leon, his companions, and Leliana and her men, they were able to defeat the demon and properly seal the first rift.

Leon had lost consciousness and slept for three days, weary from the ordeal, and when he woke he found that he was no longer being blamed for the events at the Conclave but rather praised for his actions since awakening and even being venerated as the "Herald of Andraste". It was strange, to say the least. He had made his way to the Chantry, where he was again threatened by the Chancellor- who was shut down by Cassandra and Leliana- and filled in on what had happened in the last few days by the spymaster and the Seeker. Once he had been filled in and their next move had been presented, Leon Ellis agreed to help the Inquisition in their quest to set the world right and stop the demons as they searched for a way to seal the Breach and bring those responsible to justice.

Leon knew he was in it for the long haul and just hoped that he would be able to actually help. Over the next day or so, Leon made it a point to get to know each of his new comrades and companions a bit better, but what surprised him was finding an old friend amongst the ranks of Leliana's men.

As Leon watched everyone, he smiled when his mind turned towards James.

He hadn't seen him since the Blight and had tried to get in touch as soon as the "civil war" had ended and the Archdemon defeated, but their home village had been destroyed during the Blight and there was no news of any survivors. Leon had feared the worst, but then as he continued his search for anyone from the village, he began finding people who had fled to neighboring towns and villages who told him that everyone had miraculously survived. When he asked about James and Emma, no one knew where they had gone. Desperate to find them, he took up work as a mercenary and would search for them wherever his company found work. He searched for years, but never found anything and he had begun to lose hope.

When he saw him in Haven, he was relieved to see James alive and well. He asked what happened to him and Emma after the Blight and James explained that they had fled with the others, but someone had discovered that Emma was a mage and they had to go into hiding. They avoided people at all costs, at least until James had heard about the Inquisition and joined their ranks- bringing Emma with him where she'd be safe within their company among the other mages. Leon was relieved that Emma was alright, too, but when he asked where she was, all James said was that she was around.

So Leon had been spending his free time searching Haven for Emma, but couldn't find her.

Leon sighed, rubbing his neck. "Where are you, Emma?" he wondered aloud. He started turning away, ready to make his rounds, but then he spotted a black cat with icy teal eyes sitting atop one of the barrels near Varric's tent. "Emma?"

The cat's ears twitched at the sound of his voice and it looked at him, holding his gaze for a few moments before hopping down and making its way towards the main gate.

"Wait!" Leon called, hurrying after the cat. He followed it out of the main gates, but lost sight of it and started asking around until someone pointed in the direction they had seen a black cat go. Thanking them, he hurried off in that direction and followed the trail passed the vacant cabin and towards the nearby dock. When he reached the dock, he stopped, seeing a woman standing there in place of a cat- raven black hair with grey tips swaying and bouncing against a rosewood colored dress. When he stepped onto the wooden planks, she turned and offered him a sheepish smile.

"It's been a long time, Leon."

"Emma?" Leon found himself at a loss for words. The last time he had seen Emma, she had just turned sixteen.

Emma blushed. "You're staring."

Leon shook himself and rubbed his neck, embarrassed. "I-I'm sorry, it's just been so long since I've seen you and I wasn't expecting this."

Emma raised a brow. "Expecting what?" she asked as her arms crossed.

"You to have grown up into such a beautiful woman."

Emma's blush deepened. "A lot can change in eleven years."

Leon chuckled. "Clearly!"

Emma eyed him for a moment as he tried to find something more to say. "You've changed, too." she said softly. The lanky boy with deep brown hair and meadow green eyes she knew had grown into a very muscular young man with a bit of scruffy stubble along his angular jaw and he stood even taller than she remembered.

"Jim told me what happened to you guys when the Blight hit home. I'm glad you were able to get out and stay safe all this years."

Emma looked away. "It wasn't easy and I fear I was too much of a burden to my brother." She turned back towards the lake. "Jimmy has done so much for me..."

Leon sensed there was something more that James had not told him. "What happened, Emma?"

"A lot happened when you left us, Leon." Emma replied, glancing back at him. "It's best to leave some things in the past where they belong." Emma wanted to change the subject and turned back to face him, offering him a smile- as fake as it was in that moment. "But look at you now! Herald of Andraste, huh? Who'd have thought that lanky bookworm of a boy I grew up with would become someone so important?"

"Emma..."

Emma started to walk back down the dock, tapping him on the shoulder as she passed him by. "Come on, we should get back before they send out a search party."

Leon stood there, unsure of what to say or do in that moment as Emma made her way back down the trail towards the village. 'Emma, what happened? Why won't you talk to me?'


	3. Chapter 3

Emma found that while she wanted to spend time with Leon, it was proving difficult with everything going on and she would often spend most of her time in her cat form. She would watch Leon as he worked, wondering a great many things- many of them being centered around what their relationship was like. One thought that had crossed her mind was, "What if we can never have what we had as kids again?" which led Emma to more questions and it became frustrating fairly quickly. She knew deep in her heart that she still loved Leon and always would, but time can change things and it made her wonder if he still loved her, too.

For Leon, he found himself wanting very much to spend time with Emma but as the Herald of Andraste and more less being the leader of the Inquisition- unofficially so- it was rather difficult to make time for her, which left him feeling guilty. He wondered if it were perhaps it was for the best, at least for the moment, given that they had spent so much time apart and he still didn't understand what Emma's apprehensions were when it came to talking about what happened during that time. He had hoped he could talk to Jim about it, but Jim was just as busy as he was- if not more.

And then there was Jim. Good 'ol Jim. Jim found himself quite busy with work- which he rather enjoyed- but would often wonder how he could help his sister and his friend after seeing them a bit hesitant to interact. With everything going on with the Inquisition, it was difficult to take any time really to sit down with them- either of them- and talk things over like they used to. And Jim knew it was bound to happen, anyway. He could only hope that they could figure it out on their own and that he'd get some time to spend with them soon enough.'

As the days turned to weeks, Emma found herself accompanying Leon on most of his assignments- which she didn't mind but did wonder as to why. She suspected that in part it was because Seeker Cassandra Pentaghast wanted to keep an eye on her, but she paid it no real mind since she knew that she had been on her best behavior given the situation everyone faced with mages. Especially after what happened at the Conclave.

One day, after having returned from an assignment in the Fallow Mire and seeing the missing soldiers safely back home to Haven, Leon took the time to relax and found himself wandering the village in search of the one person he wanted to see most. He searched along the route from the main village gate and passed the tavern, finally finding the black cat perched in her usual place near the apothecary's hut.

"Emma?"

Emma's ears twitched at the sound of his voice and she glanced down from her branchy perch as he stood at the base of her favorite tree. She stretched, her long tail curling up behind her, then hopped down from her perch and shifted back into her human form. "I see you've returned safely. Did you find them OK?"

Leon nodded. "Yes, they're being debriefed now."

"Good." She eyed him for a moment, reaching up to touch his forehead. "You look drained, but you don't have a fever, so that's good."

Leon blushed a bit. "I-I feel fine, Emma."

Emma realized he was blushing and withdrew her hand, a blush of her own gracing her cheeks. "S-Sorry." She stepped back, her hands clasped behind her back. "Are... you sure you're alright?"

Leon sighed, wishing she hadn't stepped back so far, but he nodded. "It's just been difficult getting a good night's rest lately."

"I could... make something for you, to help you sleep I mean." Emma offered. "...if you'd like?"

Leon offered her a weary smile. "That'd be wonderful, actually."

Emma smiled at that. "It'll take some time to prepare, but I'll whip something together for you."

"Thank you, Emma, I'd appreciate it." Leon looked up at the sky and sighed. "I need all the rest I can get with everything going on."

"That you do..."

They stood there for a few moments, just watching the sky before either of them spoke. When someone did, it was Leon asking if Emma wanted to join him for a walk around the lake.

"Sure, I'd like that."

Leon and Emma walked through the village and out through the main gates, ignoring certain people's comments as they passed them by. They walked passed the training camp, following the trail that wrapped around the lake until they stopped at one of the southern docks.

"Emma, would you come with me to the Hinterlands?" Leon asked as they stood on the frosted wooden planks.

"Do you have need of my healing?"

"The mages at the Crossroads have been draining their resources and can't keep up with the waves of injured. We've nearly cleared out the apostate and Templar camps in the area, so things should start to slow down once we have. I was hoping you accompany to the Crossroads and lend a hand healing?"

Emma though a moment, then nodded. "Sure, I can do that. The healers here haven't needed any help the last week or so and I don't suspect they will any time soon." She sighed, watching the green glow of the Breach as it danced off the icy mirrored surface of the lake. "Besides, anywhere is better than here..."

Leon looked at her, his brow furrowed with worry. "Has something happened?"

Emma shook her head and started to turn away. "It's nothing, don't worry about it. We should get back before someone sends a search party."

Leon reached forward and grabbed her hand to stop her. "Emma, I can't help if you won't let me."

"Who said that I needed your help?"

Leon squeezed her hand and stepped closer to her. "Emma, look at me?"

Emma sighed and did as he asked, meeting that meadow green gaze she had fallen in love with.

"What happened? Please tell me?" Leon asked, almost begging her.

Emma dropped her gaze and looked away. "Mages here are treated just as bad as they were in the Circles. Some of us even worse because we've always been apostates and it's like even the former Circle mages blame us for the state of things."

Leon watched her, trying to get a sense of the severity of the situation. "There's something else you're not telling me."

Emma didn't want to tell him that before finding their way to the Inquisition, Jim had nearly been killed by Templars when he tried to stop them from taking Emma and that Emma did what she had to in order to save her brother and herself. She didn't want to tell him that one of those Templars had survived the battle and later joined the Inquisition, finding Jim and Emma both there. She didn't want to tell him that this Templar threatened her brother's life if she didn't behave and do as he told her to. She didn't want to tell him that this Templar beat her and forced himself on her time and time again. She didn't want to tell him that she felt like failure, like she was nothing more than the little whore the Templar called her.

Leon loosened his grip when he noticed tears in her eyes and let her pull her hand free. "Emma..."

Emma swallowed her tears, offered him a smile- as fake as it was- and told him it was fine before thanking him for the company and excusing herself. She left the man she had once loved very dearly standing alone of the dock and made her way back to the village. She tried to quell the tears threatening to break free, but before she could get to her usual hiding place, the Templar found her.

"There's the little whore."

Emma stopped dead in her tracks as the Templar- a man by them name of Marcellus Carbo- sauntered over to her. "Did you need something, ser?" she asked, trying to keep her voice from shaking.

"You've been avoiding me, haven't you, little whore?"

"N-No, ser, I've been trying to assist where I can, nothing more."

"Little lies from a little whore, eh? Appears to me that you need to be punished."

Emma winced, but tried to stay calm as Marcellus grabbed her by the arm and dragged her to the abandoned shack near the lake. He pulled her inside and threw her to the floor before closing the door and locking it.

"Get up."

Emma tried to push herself to her hands and knees, but before she could get any further Marcellus kicked her side and knocked her back over.

"I said get up."

Emma wheezed from the impact, feeling a few of her ribs had cracked, but she forced herself to stand and kept her eyes to the floor.

Marcellus smirked, enjoying the sight of her in pain, and stepped forward to grab her by her hair and drag her over to the bed. He threw her onto the bed and ignored her small cry of pain as she landed on the cracked ribs. "Shut it, you little whore."

Emma tried to push herself to a sitting position, only to have Marcellus pull her around, pinning her to the bed, holding her down by pulling an arm behind her. Emma bit back a yelp, trying to stay quiet because she knew Marcellus would hurt her far worse if she didn't.

Marcellus was revelling in the moment, the sight of her so helpless and vulnerable pure perfection in his eyes. He ripped off her dress and tore aside her underclothes before pulling out his hardened member and shoving it into her.

Emma tried to bite back a scream as he pinned her down harder and she felt as if her arm would break at any moment. Marcellus rammed his dick harder and harder into her. Emma felt tears welling her eyes, but tried to swallow them as Marcellus pulled out and flipped her over and forced himself back in. Emma felt powerless as Marcellus fucked her, feeling the hot sticky mess of his cum as he pulled out and came all over her near naked body. Having "punished" her enough for the moment, Marcellus just chuckled and put himself away- leaving an ashamed Emma laying there.

Trying to hide her tears and pain, Emma lay there as she tried to heal her wounds just as she did every time Marcellus beat and raped her. She didn't want anyone to know what the man had done, not when Jim's life was at stake. Once she had healed at least her cracked ribs, she went to the chest where she kept extra clean clothes and pulled out a new dress. She set it on a nearby stool and went to find a towel or cloth or something she could use to clean herself up.

After a few minutes, Emma was as clean as she could get herself- some of the "filth" unable to be cleansed- and she dressed herself before gathering the torn fabric and setting it somewhere safe- hoping that she could mend it somehow.

She waited a few more moments to gather herself together, then stepped outside and transformed into a cat before taking off to hide. As she climbed to the highest point in the tree she had chosen, she curled up in a ball and hid herself among the fir's needles- making herself as small as she possibly could.


	4. Chapter 4

It was a few days before Leon was leaving for the Crossroads and he still had no luck talking to Emma, let alone finding her. He did, however, manage to get some free time with Jim and sat down with him the night before he was supposed to leave.

As they sat in the inn, nursing their mugs, the two men wondered what to say first and if they should be the one to start the conversation.

Leon was the first to break the silence. "It's been awhile since we were able to do this."

Jim nodded, leaning back against his chair as he sat with Leon for a drink in the tavern. "It has indeed. Doesn't help that we're so busy these days."

"That's true. I'm just glad we had this moment." Leon took a swig of his ale, then leaned forward a bit. "So, how have things been?"

Jim and Leon sat for a few hours, just catching up, but then Leon asked the hard question and Jim almost didn't answer him.

"What happened, Jimmy? What aren't you and Emma telling me?"

Jim sighed. "Emma blames herself for what happened..."

"What did happen?"

"It was a few years ago, just after the Kirkwall Rebellion." Jim started.

Leon sat there and listened as Jim explained that he and Emma had been on their way to what they thought would be a safe haven for mages- since all mages were now technically apostates- but when they had reached their destination, they found it to be a trap set up by a group of Templars. The Templars tried to take Emma into custody, but Jim had tried to stop them and it nearly got him killed. Emma had broken free and tried to protect him, but the ensuing battle resulted in the deaths of most of the Templars.

"And she won't even talk to you about it?"

Jim sighed. "Any time I ask her about it, she shuts me out."

Leon leaned back. "Well, shit..."

Jim looked at him. "Emma blames herself for all of the hardships she and I had to face after the Blight, that somehow her being a mage was the cause of it all." He looked into his mug, his brow furrowed. "It's like she's ashamed of who she is... she's not the same girl we knew back then..."

"I just wish she would talk to me..." Leon put his head in his hands. "I wish she would just let me in so I could tell her it's going to be alright..."

Jim watched him for a moment. "You still love her, don't you?"

Leon looked at him, surprised, and nodded. "I never stopped."

"I thought as much." Jim sighed. "Give her time, Leon, alright? That's all either of us can do."

* * *

The following morning, Leon stood waiting at the main gate for the rest of his party to join him and he hoped that Emma would come like she agreed. And much to his surprise and relief, Emma came down the stairs with her pack shouldered.

"Morning."

Emma tried to offer him a small smile. "Morning." She looked around. "Is there anyone else coming?"

"We're just waiting for Varric and one other to join us." Leon replied, then looked behind Emma as the rest of their party joined them. "Ah, there they are."

Emma turned and looked to find Varric coming down the stairs with another man, but when she saw who it was her heart dropped.

"Emma, you remember Varric?" Leon asked, seeing her nod. "And this is Ser Marcellus." He looked back to Varric and Marcellus. "This is Emma."

"You're Jim's little sister, right?" Varric asked. "He's a good kid."

Emma forced a smile, feeling like she was going to have a panic attack just being near Marcellus. "He most certainly is." She turned to Leon. "If you're ready, we should get on the road while the day is still young. We have a lot of ground to cover."

Leon sensed something really off about her, and after exchanging glances with Varric, he and the others hurried after her as she made her way to the stables.

Emma made sure their mounts were ready, but as Leon and Varric got into their saddles, Marcellus came up behind Emma- sending shivers down her spine.

"You best behave yourself, little whore," he muttered to her, "lest I have to punish you again."

"Everything alright?" Leon asked, seeing Emma and Marcellus together.

"Yes, Herald, just offering the young miss a hand." Marcellus replied, then leaned in and whispered, "Best to play along, little whore. Wouldn't want the Herald to get the wrong idea, now would we?"

Emma did her best to maintain appearances and did what Marcellus told her to, then followed after Leon as he took the lead.

'Maker, why..?' she wondered as they left Haven and rode off towards their destination. 'What did I do to offend you so..?'

* * *

Leon and his party rode until just before nightfall, finding a fairly safe place to make camp for the night. Once their tents were pitched, Emma went off to search for firewood. She gathered what she could, hoping to clear her head while she did, but it wasn't long that Marcellus- under pretense of assisting her- found his way to her location and pulled her out of sight.

Emma knew better than to fight him and just prayed that Leon or Varric wouldn't find them- especially Leon. She did as she was told and kept her mouth shut as Marcellus had his way with her, then sank to her knees when he finished and walked away. She waited a few moments, letting the tears flow freely as she covered her mouth to stifle her whimpers. She felt so ashamed of herself, so pitiful, but what else could she do when her dear brother's life hung in the balance?

After a few more moments, Emma wiped away her tears and collected herself before retrieving the wood she had gathered and making her way back to camp. She set the wood on the fire- seeing that Marcellus had grabbed some wood himself to keep up pretense- then turned in for the night and hide herself away in her tent.

Leon and Varric sensed something was wrong, but when they asked Marcellus is he had noticed anything the Templar just shrugged and said he knew nothing. Leon wanted to check on her, but given what he and Jim had discussed the night before he thought that perhaps he should leave the matter alone. For the time being.

Little did he or Varric know, Emma was suffering far more than she would have expected and it was largely in part due to her realizing that she was still in love with Leon after all those years.

'Somebody... please... save me from this nightmare...'


	5. Chapter 5

As they continued on their journey to the Crossroads, Leon could tell that something was weighing heavily on Emma and it seemed to get a little bit worse every day. He had never really noticed before because Emma usually avoided him, but spending every day with her now made it clear as day.

When they made it to the Crossroads, Leon left Emma with the healers and took Marcellus and Varric to clear out the rest of the rabble threatening the refugees. Emma kept herself busy and was just grateful to be away from Marcellus.

By the time Leon and the others returned to the Crossroads, Emma had helped the healers take care of all the wounded and relieve a lot of the work they had been overwhelmed by. Finally, things were back on track at the Crossroads and would be for some time once the apostate and Templar camps were dealt with. When Leon and the others returned, Varric found Emma and asked if she would join him for a walk. Having nothing more to do for the moment, Emma agreed and walked with the dwarf through the Crossroads. They walked around a bit, Varric telling her what happened while they were dealing with the riff raff and Emma answering his questions about how things went while they were gone. After awhile, though, Varric asked a question he knew he may not get an answer to.

"Kitten, is there something going on? You've seemed really out of sorts lately." Varric asked.

Emma's heart sank at his question. She wanted so badly to tell someone what she was enduring and hope that they could put an end to it, but she just couldn't. "It's nothing, Varric... just leave it be, please..."

Varric knew at that point that something really serious was going on and Emma felt trapped, held hostage by it. "Whatever it is, Kitten, you can tell me."

Emma looked at him, tears in her eyes as she shook her head. "I can't..."

Behind them, Marcellus was coming up the small hill and Varric noticed Emma wiping away her tears as quickly as she could.

"Ah, there you are." Marcellus said, joining them. "Varric, the Herald was looking for you."

"Thanks." Varric looked at Emma. "Take it easy for a bit, Kitten, alright? You've been working hard."

Emma nodded, forcing a smile as he turned to head back to find Leon. But as soon as he was out of ear shot, she felt an overwhelming need to run away as Marcellus turned to her and asked what they had been talking about. She told him it was nothing, just filling each other in on what happened either out in the field or at the Crossroads- which was technically true.

"I think you're lying to me, little whore." Marcellus said, his tone low and menacing. "You told him about our little arrangement, didn't you?"

Emma stepped back and shook her head. "N-No, I swear I didn't breathe a word...!" She backed away, trying to put some distance between her and Marcellus. When the Crossroads were no longer in view, she turned and ran- hoping to get away from him before he could hurt her. 'Maker, please save me...!' She ran towards the north, hoping to hide in the tower ruins. She tried to change into her cat form, but she was so terrified she couldn't focus. All she could do was run for her life and hope he didn't catch her.

Marcellus chased after Emma, forcing her to try and take refuge in the tower ruins. He searched the ruins, calling out mockingly to her, then reached out and grabbed her as she tried to take off from her hiding spot when he found her. He threw her to the ground, causing her to fall down the hill and cut her arms and legs, even parts of her face, on the loose rocks and stones. He sauntered down the hill as she pushed herself to her feet, then grabbed her by the hair and threw her to the floor of an empty room in the tower's base.

Emma cowered in the corner, blood dripping from the numerous cuts now covering her body. "P-Please...! I didn't say a word..!"

Marcellus loomed over her. "Little whores should keep their mouths shut!" He reached down and grabbed her ankle, pulling her forward. He started to tear at her clothes, reaching up to cover her mouth when she tried to cry out. "Keep your mouth shut or I'll pay your dear brother a little visit when we get back to Haven."

Emma felt tears streaming down her cheeks as Marcellus held her down, shoving his dick into her much more forcefully than any other time. She felt like he would literally rape her to death and no one would be able to stop him in time. She struggled against him for a moment, but he just squeezed his hand tighter. She felt her whole body radiating with pain and felt as though she would be torn apart at any moment. But then Marcellus grunted and Emma watched him slump over, falling to the floor next to her- unconscious. She felt someone pushing him the rest of the way off of her, pulling his hand free from her cheeks and then gently lifting her chin towards them.

"Emma?"

Emma knew the voice, remembered the gentle touch helping her, and she weakly met his gaze. "L-Leon...?"

Varric had immediately gone to find Leon, knowing something wasn't right and told Leon that Emma might be in danger. He and Leon hurried towards the direction where Varric had seen Emma and Marcellus disappear and when they came to the road just north of the Crossroads, they heard someone cry out. They heard what sounded like someone struggling as they approached the tower ruins and when they found their way to the base, they weren't prepared for what awaited them: Emma pinned to the floor and struggling against Marcellus as he raped her. Leon hit Marcellus over the head with the pommel of his sword and Varric helped him pull the Templar off of Emma. As Varric went about restraining Marcellus, Leon carefully helped Emma sit up and tried to talk to her.

"It's going to be alright now." Leon said, wrapping his cloak around her shoulders. "Let's get you out of here, OK? Can you stand?"

Emma was still a bit dazed from the pain, but she managed to shake her head no to answer him.

Leon was careful as he pulled her dress back down and scooped her up into his arms. Standing, he looked to Varric as Varric told him to go on ahead while he watches Marcellus. Leon nodded and carried Emma back to the Crossroads, setting her inside his tent before calling over some of the guards and ordering them to go to the tower ruins and arrest Marcellus Carbo. Once the guards left, Leon called for one of the healers nearby and brought her inside. He asked that she check her wounds, but say nothing about what she finds. Understanding the dire tone of his voice, the healer agreed and went about examining Emma as Leon stepped outside to wait until she finished.

By the time the guards and Varric returned, Marcellus Carbo chained and in tow, the healer had finished examining Emma and stepped out of the tent.

"How is she?"

The healer sighed. "She'll be just fine, physically, once she's had a chance to rest. I've healed her bodily wounds, but it's the psychological wounds that I worry about the most." She noticed Marcellus in chains and put two and two together. "I hope he gets what's coming to him. No one deserves that kind of violence and abuse."

The healer excused herself and Leon stepped into the tent, looking worriedly at Emma. He was kicking himself mentally for not realizing sooner and putting a stop to the abuse before it got to this point, but he was just glad that they had arrived in time to save her life.

He sat next to Emma, reaching forward and grasping her hand. "I'm so sorry, Emma..."

Emma looked at him. "Don't be... there was nothing you could have done..."

"Why didn't you tell me..?"

"He..." Emma choked up a bit for a moment. "He was going to hurt Jimmy if I did... even kill him..."

"... how long..?"

"Weeks... ever since he arrived at Haven and joined the Inquisition..."

"Maker's breath... Emma, please forgive me..."

Emma tried to squeeze his hand with what little strength she had. "There's nothing to forgive... you saved me..."

Leon leaned down at kissed her head. "You should get some sleep." He pulled the blanket up to her shoulders and smoothed back her hair. "You're safe now." He made his way out of the tent, only stopping as Emma thanked him. "Anything for you, Emma, you know that."


	6. Chapter 6

When it came time to leave the Crossroads, Emma was more or less healed. It would take her time to overcome the emotional and mental damage Marcellus caused, but at least the nightmare was over now and she could move forward without fearing for her safety and for Jim's.

Leon had sent word a day ahead of the platoon and Marcellus, informing the higher ups and Jim of what had transpired and ask that they prepare a cell for Marcellus. Then, the following day, the platoon escorted Marcellus back to Haven to await his punishment. Leon and the others had planned on returning to Haven a day or two behind the others, but then word came back to them from Haven asking that they wait for Commander Cullen and his retinue to arrive at the Crossroads and join them on their journey to Highever to participate in a vigil for the Divine and those lost at the Conclave. There were reports of rifts and bandits along the route, as well, and since the total journey would be nearly a month Leon figured it'd be a good opportunity to deal with the issues.

Emma stayed close to Leon the entire journey, more because she felt safest near him and was wary of the other Templars among their ranks. She was very skittish around men, even Leon, but she did her best to remember that none of them were Marcellus.

One night when they had made camp, Emma sat off to the side and watched the moon from the side of the river. She wanted to be alone for a bit, clear her head, and became lost in her thoughts so much so that she hadn't heard Cullen approaching until he was right behind her.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you!" Cullen said, reaching forward to catch Emma as she tripped backwards trying to get away from him. When she was steady, he released her arm and stepped back. "I just wanted to make sure you were alright."

Emma's heart was pounding and her hair was bristling, but she tried to calm herself down and looked at the Commander. "I'm sorry..."

"There's nothing you need apologize for." Cullen replied. "Are you doing OK?"

Emma nodded, her hand still to her chest. "As OK as I can be, I suppose."

"I know it won't do any good, really, but I am sorry for what you went through. And to know that it was a Templar..." Cullen sighed. "He was under my command and I failed to notice that something was wrong. Please, forgive my ignorance."

Emma was surprised to see the Commander bowing to her as he apologized, but it meant a lot to her that he felt the need to. "Commander, the fault is not yours..." she said. "But I appreciate the effort nonetheless."

Cullen stood up straight and looked at her. "You have my word that he will be punished to the fullest extent."

Emma managed a small smile at that. "Thank you, ser." Her gaze shifted to where Leon sat with Varric and the other soldiers.

Cullen caught this and followed her gaze. "You seem to care for him."

Emma nodded. "We were engaged, once, you know. Before the Blight."

Cullen looked at her, surprised. "What happened?"

"Loghain conscripted him, then the Blight destroyed our village and we had to flee. Jimmy and I got separated from the others, lost touch with everyone- including Leon. We didn't even know if he was alive still or not." Emma explained.

"You and Jim were on the run for a long time?"

Emma nodded. "Jimmy did his best to protect me, then the Kirkwall Rebellion happened and the chaos continued to spread." Emma took a deep breath as her chest tightened at the memories resurfacing. "I nearly lost Jimmy before we found our way to the Inquisition. I feel like I failed him, like it was my fault that he nearly died."

"But it wasn't."

"I'm not so sure about that, to be honest." Emma replied. "Before we joined the Inquisition, a group of Templars attacked us. One of them had survived the battle and later found his way to Haven. Jimmy and I never saw any of their faces, since they were in full armor at the time, but then the survivor crossed my path one day and every day since has been a living hell."

"Marcellus..."

Emma nodded, tears in her eyes. "He threatened to hurt, even kill, Jimmy if I didn't do what I was told... I couldn't let anything happen to him, not after we had barely escaped the last time..."

"Maker..."

"He told me every day that it was my fault, that I was nothing more than a filthy mage, a little whore who needed to be punished..." Emma tried to fight back her tears, but they were slipping free and she couldn't contain them anymore.

Cullen didn't know what else to say or do, so he stepped around her and blocked the view the others would have had of her. He hesitantly put a hand on her shoulder, more surprised that she didn't flinch and actually turned into him as she tried to quiet her whimpers. He wrapped his arms around her, trying to offer what comfort he could to her. He stood there, stroking her hair as she cried, waiting patiently.

After a while, Emma pushed back from the Commander. "I-I'm sorry..."

Cullen offered her a smile, reaching up to wipe away the last of her tears. "It's alright, Emma, I'm happy to help however I can." He smoothed her hair back from her face. "I swear by the Maker that Marcellus will pay for what he's done to you."

Emma leaned into his hand for a moment. "Thank you, Commander... you have no idea what that means to me..."

Cullen hugged her for a moment, then stepped back. "I am always happy to help if I can." He offered her a small bow. "Take some time to recoup, then please join us by the fire?"

Emma smiled at that and nodded. "I'd like that." She watched Cullen return to their camp and turned back towards the river. She took a few moments to calm herself, even went down to the water's edge to splash some water in her face. When she stood and turned around, she saw Leon waiting by the stump she had been sitting on.

"Hey."

"Hey..."

"Are you doing alright? You've been out here awhile."

Emma nodded. "I'm alright." She sighed. "Commander Cullen came to check on me, too."

Leon's brow furrowed. "We're all worried about you, Emma..."

Emma sighed. "Leon..."

Leon stepped closer, coming to stand just in front of her. "Just don't shut us out again, OK? We can't help if you do."

"I don't mean to..."

Leon sighed. "I know..." He looked her over, the water droplets sliding down her cheeks as they dripped from her bangs. "You've been crying..."

Emma let him touch her cheek, his thumb stroking where they were a bit puffy still. "Leon..." She reached up and placed her hand over hers. "I'm sorry..."

"For what?"

"For making everyone worry..." she started. "For making _you_ worry..."

Leon managed a smile at that and pulled her into a hug. "I'm always going to worry about you, Emma, that's never changed and it never will."

"Still a big softie, I see." Emma said, chuckling a bit. She was finally starting to feel like herself again and she had Leon and the others to thank for that. But mostly Leon.

Leon looked down at her, waiting until she met his gaze to add, "No more secrets, alright? No matter what it is."

Emma smiled at that and nodded. "Deal."

Leon reached down and grasped her hand. "Come on, let's rejoin the others." He smiled when she squeezed his hand and nodded, letting him pull her back to camp.


	7. Chapter 7

For the next several weeks, things grew more and more intense in Haven. Not only did it seem that more rifts were opening and more demons were pouring out of them, but Marcellus was put to trial for the rape and abuse of Emma Wells. Given that she was a mage, it wouldn't have surprised Emma if no one took the trial serious. However, because of the actions that he as a man took against her as a woman, Marcellus was convicted of his crimes and imprisoned in the cells beneath the chantry- for the time being. Emma was relieved that a bit of justice was served, but she had a terrible feeling that this would not be the end of it.

Leon had also been busy building up the Inquisition's following, bringing in agents and allies from all over Ferelden and Orlais, and was gaining quite the reputation within the Inquisition- to say the least. Despite all that, though, he always made time for Jim and Emma in hopes of rebuilding the bonds they once shared.

As the weeks went by, however, there were also whispers in the dark of this "Elder One" who seemed to be behind the rifts, the demons, the Breach, everything and was building up his armies of Red Templars- Templars corrupted by red lyrium- and his Venatori- an armed cult of Tevinter nationalist supremacists who were working to sow chaos in other nations across Thedas in order to further the machinations of their mysterious deity, whom they believed would restore the glory of Tevinter. Leon and the key members of the Inquisition's inner circle spent hours upon hours trying to search for clues of the identity of this Elder One and what his true end game was, but it was much more slow going than they would have wanted- given the circumstances. It seemed that no matter where they looked, something pulled them off in another direction. That is, until, Leon journeyed to Redcliffe to meet with Grand Enchanter Fiona and found that a Tevinter magister and his entourage had taken up residence and gained a rather secure footing on Fereldan soil.

After speaking with the magister, Leon knew that something had to be done about a foreign power keeping its presence in Ferelden and there was only so much Arl Teagan could do without the crown's support. Given that the Tevinters were the more pressing matter, Leon made plans with the others to take back Redcliffe and gain the mages' support against the Breach.

Emma knew that something was going to go wrong, but Leon had asked her to stay behind in Haven where it'd be safer. Knowing better than to argue with him, something that she had learned a very long time ago, Emma reluctantly agreed to his request and waited for his return with the others. She found herself pacing in a small gathering room within the chantry or scouting the perimeter in her cat form, more anxious than she'd been in many years, and when she caught Leon's scent on the wind she was ecstatic. Until she reached the main gates of the village and saw the look on his face.

Leon and his companions had taken Redcliffe Castle and conscripted the mages into the Inquisition, but Leon and his new companion, Dorian, had seen a very dark future. Emma could see how badly it was affecting him and was unsure of how to even help him, let alone approach him. She kept her distance for the time being, staying in her cat form and sitting up in the rafters of the chantry, on the roofs of the buildings, up in the trees or on the walls of the village where she could keep an eye on him. She was worried, having never seen him like that before, and let her curiosity get the better of her when she decided to go to Cullen or Leliana or someone else and ask if she could read the field report.

Emma's heart sank as she read Leon's words, seeing where his hand shook as he struggled not to leave any details out. Her eyes teared up when she read the part about her and Jim, how they had been tortured along with many of the others who weren't lucky enough to escape the demon army and how Emma had died in Leon's arms after he had found her too late. When she read that last part, she dropped the scroll and ran to find Leon- searching everywhere in the village until she found him standing out on the docks where they had first spoken to each other after arriving in Haven.

Leon stood at the end of the docks, stoic and somber as he tried to process what he had seen and been through- even though it had yet to come to pass. He had been so lost in his thoughts that he hadn't heard Emma as she ran through the snow until she reached the end of the dock and called out to him. When he turned and saw her standing there- clearly not dressed for the weather and panting- he immediately forgot about everything else and focused solely on her.

Emma shooed off his concern and closed the distance between them, throwing her arms around his neck and embracing him with every fiber in her being that she could muster in that moment. When he asked if she was alright, she just hugged him even harder- unsure of what else to do.

Leon realized that she must have read the report he had submitted and came to find him as soon as she had. He sighed, having hoped she wouldn't see it, but he returned her embrace nonetheless and stood there with his cloak wrapped around them both.

Emma held on as long as she could, then stepped back and looked up at Leon worriedly. She reached up to touch his cheeks, smooth back his hair, anything to make sure that he was alright. When he met her gaze, she could see the guilt in his eyes and the fear of losing her again. She stroked his cheek with her thumb, then leaned forward and kissed him gently- something that surprised both of them, as it had been years since they had parted ways. She pulled back for a moment, wondering if she had made a mistake, but then Leon returned her kiss and pulled her closer and she knew then what she had been hoping was true- that he still cared for her just as much as she did for him.

From that moment on, Leon and Emma were practically inseparable. One would often see Leon walking about the village with a black cat perched on his shoulders, eyes of icy teal keeping an ever watchful gaze on the goings about in Haven and even out in the field. Emma had even taken to sleeping with him in his quarters, using her healing magik to ease his mind whenever his nightmares took their hold. Jim was thrilled to see them together again, but he worried that it would not last long- especially with Leon being the Herald of Andraste and bearing the Mark of the Breach. So, just as Emma watched over Leon, Jim watched over them both and just hoped that all would work out in the end.


End file.
